


For want of a Pilot

by AstriferousSprite



Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bodhi is a novelist, Gen, Interviews, Post-War, and a hero, mark my words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 08:34:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10658865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AstriferousSprite/pseuds/AstriferousSprite
Summary: Two years after the war ends, the galaxy is begging to hear the pilot's story.





	For want of a Pilot

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Bodhi Rook week, with the theme _above his pay grade._

“Thank you so much for being here, Commodore.”

“The pleasure’s all mine,” said Bodhi, shaking the hand of his interviewer—a tall woman named Rahna Matuli. Two years after the war had ended, the Hosnian Times had asked to interview him, as a veteran and the catalyst for much of the Rebellion itself. And as much as it was a bit nerve-wracking to recount his life to a stranger, he decided to go through with it.

So, here he was, ready to spill his life’s story to an overexcited Mirialan in a deep blue pantsuit. No worries there.

“Let’s start with an easy one,” she said as soon as they were both seated. “How are you?”

“Oh, I’m good,” he said. It wasn’t entirely a lie—sure, he was nervous exposing himself to the galaxy like this, but he otherwise felt pretty cool and collected. “A bit anxious, but good.”

“I bet,” said Rahna, smiling. “So, your new memoir just came out— _I’m the Pilot,_ it’s a fantastic read—and I was wondering, what was it like when Chancellor Mothma herself told you she wanted to write the foreword?”

Bodhi chuckled. “Oh, it was … it was an honor,” he said. “She kept talking about, you know, bravery and accomplishment, and said the honor would be all hers to take part in the story of one of the most courageous…” He laughed again. “Oh Force, it sounds weird saying it myself.”

“No, no, you’re fine!” said Rahna. “Though I do want to ask you a few questions about your service.” Bodhi nodded as Rahna shuffled through her notes. “In the novel, you start off with the sentence, quote, ‘ _I had always doubted myself, and today was no exception._ ’” She looked back up. “How has working for the Empire shaped your sense of self?”

“It definitely didn’t do much to build self-esteem,” he said. Rahna chuckled. “But honestly, it was absolutely soul-sucking. You were assigned an ID, and that would be the only thing anyone would refer to you. I wasn’t Bodhi Rook, the pilot from NiJedha—I was YK-039, the cargo pilot who ran the Kyber route.” He sighed. “You weren’t a person, you were your job. Expendable.”

Rahna nodded. “And a follow-up to that—how has that changed since you defected to the Alliance?”

“Oh, it’s definitely improved,” said Bodhi. “I mean, first off, it’s so much less, you know, _objectifying_ to hear your superior say ‘Oy, Corporal Rook!’ rather than ‘You, zero-three-nine!’” Rahna laughed. “So, um, being treated as a person was definitely a bonus. But I think the real shift happened when I was promoted—first to Lieutenant, then Commander—”

“And now, as a Commodore?”

“Yeah. You know, being in charge of a group of people—of a squadron, or of an entire fleet—it really makes you grow as a person. Because they look up to you, and at the same time, their lives are in your hands. So you’re forced to reconcile with the fact that you have worth, and status, and you have to use your power wisely.”

“Solid answer,” she said. “And to that point, you also wrote that rebellion has run in your family for generations.”

“Yes,” he said, sitting up straight. “My mother told me that, um, we’re descended from Jedhan freedom fighters from her side. As in, back in the days of the Jedi wars, when the Sith were occupying Jedha for its Kyber—my mother said our ancestors fought back against them. So, in a way, I’ve always had a bit of rebel in me.”

“Sounds awful familiar,” said Rahna drily. “No wonder the Empire brought out the fighter in you—and in your family.” She smiled. “You wrote that the only member of your household who didn’t take up arms against the Empire was your pacifist mother, correct?”

“And the cat,” he added, grinning.

She laughed. “And the cat. Either way, um, had your family influenced your decision to defect at all?”

“Absolutely,” he said. “I was terrified when Galen, you know, asked me to deliver his message to Saw—because I had no idea what to expect. But then, you know, I thought of my father, and my sisters, and how they were willing to fight for what they believed in—and ok, father and Jula sort of died, right? But at least they went down following their beliefs. So I figured if they could be brave, maybe I could, too.”

“And it’s true that the first person you contacted before defecting was your sister Fayza, correct?”

“Yeah. I had to be kind of sneaky about it, though—didn’t know if the Empire was listening. So we had, like, this code—I’d bring up a phrase that she knew was bantha, and immediately she’d know to interpret all my lines in reverse.”

“Oh, yes,” said Rahna. “You wrote that in order to let your sister know you were about to speak in lies, you told her, quote uquote, ‘I miss Aunty Naima.’ And she knew it was code, because you didn’t even _have_ an aunt named Naima.”

He laughed. “Right.”

“That must have taken real guts,” she said, eyes wide with amazement, “you know, to lie under the Empire’s nose. To say you wanted a short vacation in a month when you really meant you were to escape to Jedha that afternoon.”

“It wasn’t easy,” he said. “Honestly, I almost didn’t go through with it.”

“Commodore, I _definitely_ wouldn’t have gone through with what you did if I were in your place,” said Rahna. “I mean, Scarif was your first proper battle, right?”

“Right.”

“And even though you nearly died, you stayed behind as a starfighter.” He nodded. “Many would call that bravery beyond words. To have the strength to continue fighting without experience? Frankly, Commodore, I’m in awe of your courage.”

“Thank you.”

“If you will allow me, could I read a passage from your novel?”

“Go ahead,” he said, suddenly feeling self-conscious. He always felt nervous hearing his own writing read back to him.

Rahna flipped through her notes and began reading. “ _To have gone from a Jedhan farmboy to an Imperial cargo pilot to a Rebel starfighter—it was truly eye opening. All of it proved how vital an individual could be in such turbulent times, as even a single pilot was the key between victory and death. It truly was like the old nursery rhyme—for want of a bolt, the drive was lost, and for want of a drive, the ship was lost, and so on, until the battle is lost. In a sense, I was that metaphorical bolt, whose loosening began the undoing of the Empire. So, I leave with this message—no person is unimportant._ ”

Bodhi nodded, biting his lips.

She looked back up. “So, you’re the bolt.”

“I’m the bolt,” he said, smiling.

“Now _that’s_ a sequel in the making,” she said. “And speaking of sequels, do you plan to remain with the New Republic Navy?”

Bodhi shook his head. “No, I think I’ve had enough of fighting,” he said. “Cassian and I are retiring to Fest. We have a plot of land that we plan to farm.” He raised his eyebrows. “Can’t escape my farmboy roots.”

“And are there children in the future?”

Bodhi smiled softly. “We have a daughter already.”

“Oh, congratulations!” Rahna beamed. “Tell me more?”

“Her name’s Shira,” he said. “Cassian and I decided that there’ve been too many orphans left over from this war, so any small step to lower that number is helpful. She’s feisty,” he added with a grin, “but she’s a gift. I couldn’t imagine ourselves without her.”

“That’s lovely,” said Rahna. “You’ll never stop being selfless, will you?”

“Afraid not.”

She extended her hand. “Well, again, thank you so much for your time.”

“Thank _you,_ ” he said, shaking it.

Maybe this would only be the first interview. Maybe after Rahna and the Hosnian Times, he could expect more adoring journalists fawning over him. But as long as he was heard, that would be fine.

He was the pilot. The galaxy would know his story.

**Author's Note:**

> Did you know that Bodhi is literally the bravest man in the universe and I love him?  
> Anyways, hmu at [my tungle](http://lesbiangffa.tumblr.com) to scream about this guy with me, and see y'all tomorrow.


End file.
